Dolphins keeping their playoff embers burning

Posted by Josh Alper on December 23, 2012, 2:32 PM EST

AP

The Dolphins are a serious long shot to make the playoffs, but they’ll go to no shot if they lose to the Bills.

They don’t appear to be in much danger of that through one half of play in Miami. The Dolphins lead 14-3 thanks in large part to the work of their running game and the defense. Ryan Tannehill has picked up 43 yards on three runs, including a 31-yard gain just before halftime to set up a Reggie Bush touchdown run. Bush and Lamar Miller have combined for 72 yards as well to keep the Dolphins in control of the ball. The passing hasn’t been nearly as smooth, although Tannehill did hit Bush for a 17-yard touchdown to kick off the scoring.

Buffalo has a 62-yard run by C.J. Spiller and pretty much nothing else to show for their work in the first half. They could only turn that into a field goal and Stevie Johnson lost a fumble to kill another promising drive for a Bills team that hasn’t looked particularly sharp on either side of the ball this afternoon.

The Dolphins need a lot of help, but they aren’t doing anything to eliminate themselves.